Sri Lanka A leave for Windies tour

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA - The Sri Lanka A team departed for their month-long tour of the West Indies on Friday, after having trained throughout May for what is their only overseas trip this year.

The team is captained by Sri Lanka Test opener Dimuth Karunaratne, with middle order batsman Angelo Perera serving as his deputy.

Kithuruwan Vithanage, who played in the Bangladesh Tests in March, fast bowler Suranga Lakmal and wicketkeeper-batsman Kaushal Silva are the other Sri Lanka Test players on tour.

Offspinner Tharindu Kaushal, 19, who impressed in his debut domestic cricket season, and has been in the Sri Lanka Test squad for two home series without getting a match, is also in the side.

The 15-man squad was finalised after three two-day trial matches in Colombo in April and, after selection, took part in a List-A tri-series in Pallekele, in which they finished last.

The A team will play two four-day matches against West Indies A, in St Kitts and St Vincent, before embarking on the limited-overs leg, which features two Twenty20s in St Vincent and and three ODIs in Grenada. The first match begins on June 5.